In the darkness of the night, clusters of bonfires illuminate this wilderness in the western part of the Horqin steppe.

The two armies led by Aguta and Empress Dowager Xiao are no longer hiding their whereabouts now. Not only is it not hidden, but they also make a big splash and light bonfires everywhere.

The two armies, now no more than 30 miles apart, set up camp on their own. The 40,000-strong army of the Eastern Liao Army posed in a classic camel city. The 140,000-strong army of Aguta set up three huge "chariot formations" - that is, they formed a circle with carts to protect the camp, and laid out a zigzag on the grassland.

Most of the warriors in the chariot formation and the camel city had already awakened from their sleep, and sat together in groups, whispering around the campfire. Or wipe the blades and armor, yearning for the upcoming battle. Thinking about what kind of reward you can get after defeating the enemy? Or they are praying to a god they don't know.

Sentinels from both sides were sent out, but they did not engage in fierce fighting as before, but only protected their respective camps and prevented the other side from approaching and sneaking attack.

Now that the main forces on both sides are facing each other, there is no need for covering.

And the fact that the two armies could meet so quickly on the boundless grassland was, of course, because the commanders of both sides had the intention of fighting to the death.

If one party wants to go around in circles, it is possible to turn around for another month.

However, Xiao Sese, who was obviously at a disadvantage in terms of troops, did not dodge at all, and the Ming Dynasty generously advanced westward from the city of Linhuangfu. It is not very covered, and directly exposes the main force under the noses of the Jin army scouts.

And Ah Guta, who found out the situation of Xiao Sese's troops, did not hesitate any longer, everyone gave you a chance to fight 140,000 and 40,000, are you embarrassed to avoid the war again?

Moreover, Xiao Se Se took 40,000 people out to greet him, making it clear that he was buying time for the Zhou army under the city of Linhuangfu to break the city.

Although Ah Guta didn't believe that the Zhou army could break the city of Linhuang Mansion in a few days or ten days, he still didn't dare to take this risk, and would rather choose to fight Xiao Sese during the day tomorrow.

But on the eve of the war, Aguta suddenly discovered a very serious problem - he, the founder of the Dajin Kingdom, actually couldn't fight!

That's right, Akuta can't fight!

It's not that you have Alzheimer's disease and forget the craft of war. But he unfortunately encountered a military revolution, and the great military strategist before the military revolution has now become semi-militarily blind......

In the imperial tent of Ah Guta, Wanyan Zongbi was stating the battle strategy to the king of Dajin Kingdom one by one.

Ah Guta was a little painful to find that he, or the Jurchens, was the best at all kinds of tactics, and now they were outdated!

The Jurchens' iron cavalry assault met the camel city...... The camel city, with its hooves tied, boxes and blankets, was not at all something that the cavalry could break through.

The archery skills that the Jurchens had cultivated in the mountains and forests while hunting encountered artillery and camel cannons!

Isn't it brain-dead to shoot at artillery that fires shotguns? Moreover, the Khitans also shoot arrows, and they not only have bows, but also Tianjin crossbows with strong penetration!

As for hand-to-hand combat...... Of course, the Jurchens are very powerful! However, hand-to-hand combat on the battlefield is a battle in formation, not a traditional martial art. One-on-one heads-up is not a fight, it's a fight!

Rather, it is necessary to form a formation...... Artillery and camel cannons or something, but there are live targets! A large group of people huddled side by side, and a large number of people can be killed with their eyes closed!

So hand-to-hand combat is not very good!

Now in the war, the emphasis is on the artillery bombardment after the foot cavalry rush, and the infantry cavalry after the cannon bombardment!

The role of the cannon is to blow up the opponent's array and create conditions for your own charge.

In other words, if the cannon can't fight, nothing else needs to be discussed...... Oh, it's not that there is no way at all, and when the cannon can't compare, you can still build fortifications.

So the decisive battle with Empress Dowager Xiao will start with digging trenches and stacking sandbags!

The dignified golden heavenly soldiers are now fighting a dumb battle by digging pits and building fortifications! It's a little painful to think about it!

"Don't we have a few hundred cannons too?" Ah Guda interjected, "Why do you have to dig so many pits? ”

"Father, our cannons are small, they are all 250 pounds of bronze cannons, which can only shoot 6 taels of projectiles, and the range is also short." Wanyan Zongbi said, "Although there are a lot of them, the firepower is not enough, and they can't withstand their 4-pound cannons." ”

In the Zhou State, the cavalry artillery was considered light, and it was loaded with four catties of projectiles, one catty was sixteen taels, and four catties was sixty-four taels, and the firepower was ten times that of six taels of artillery......

Now the artillery of the Zhou State and the artillery of the Song Dynasty are two routes, and the Zhou State focuses on the development of medium and heavy artillery - the Zhou State has no shortage of horses.

The Great Song Dynasty, which lacked horses, was a combination of heavy fortress guns and light artillery, and the light artillery was mainly 250 kg and 400 kg. And because the 400-kilogram cannon is a new product, it will not be sold out for the time being. Therefore, what Jin Guo purchased from the Great Song Dynasty were all 250 catties of artillery that were quite insufficient.

If the power is insufficient, use the number to make up for it, and a total of 21 artillery members in the 34 Meng'an brought out this time, and there are more than 200 250-pound cannons attached to it.

These more than 200 250-pound cannons are too precious, and they cost a huge amount of money, so they have to be protected by building fortifications.

As a result, the flexibility of the Jurchens was gone, and they became a migrant worker unit that built a hard village to fight in a stupid battle.

Therefore, when the soldiers on the Eastern Liao side were still anxiously waiting for the "last breakfast", the "invincible" Jurchen dared to fight and began to dig pits and pile sandbags with shovels...... The dignified daughters are really daring, and now they are about to become migrant workers!

Oh, and they're not the hapluckiest Gundam. There are even more unlucky people than them, that is, the group of raw Jurchen warriors who stay in a tofu scum fortress.

In the eighth year of the Great Zhou Republic, July 18.

The cannon of one gate had been pushed into the gun position, and the muzzle of the gun was slightly raised, aiming at the tofu scum city wall three or four hundred steps ahead. The gunners were all in position, holding various tools for maneuvering the guns, nervously waiting for the order to open fire.

A total of 16 artillery units with a total of 88 guns participated in the shelling. Including 16 12-pound guns and 72 6-pound guns. This is the majority of the artillery belonging to the Linhuang Legion, and only 4 artillery teams equipped with 4 kg cavalry guns were allocated to the Dongliao Army for use, bringing the number of 4 kg cavalry guns owned by the latter to 56.

However, concentrating 88 cannons to deal with a tofu scum fortress is more than enough no matter how you look at it.

Wang Yan and Wu Yiyong strode into a bunker made of sandbags, which was 400 steps south of Linhuangfu City, just to the right of the artillery position. There is an open space in front of you, completely unobstructed, and you can see the situation of the southern city wall of Linhuang Mansion without a telescope.

There were already many officers waiting in the bunker. Seeing Wang Yan and Wu Yiyong entering, they all stood up and saluted. They were all officers of the Legion Supervision Department and the military engine room, and they were all waiting for Wang Yan to give the order for the artillery bombardment.

The sun is gradually rising, and the morning fog that used to float on the grassland has completely dissipated.

The cannons of this era were all weapons for direct shooting, and the barrel could only be adjusted up and down slightly.

However, to deal with the right-angled city wall of Linhuang Mansion, 88 direct-aim artillery pieces are enough!

If the Jurchens had not built a low rammed-earth rammed earth barrier with a large bevel inside the city wall, they would have been able to tear down the wall hundreds of paces wide after six or seven hours of shelling.

The question now is whether the infantry of the Linhuang Legion can enter after the city wall is collapsed and kill or drive away the Jurchen barbarians inside.

Thinking of this, Wu Yiyong looked around, but did not see the infantry, only the dismounted knights of the 1st Cavalry Division served as escorts on both sides and in the rear of the artillery position.

Now is not the time to send out the infantry, the infantry are resting in the camp that has just been built, and tonight is the time for them to play.

After Empress Dowager Xiao led the Eastern Liao army to leave, Wang Yan and Wu Yiyong lifted the siege of Linhuang Mansion and concentrated their forces on the grassland south of Linhuang Mansion.

While building fortifications, while preparing for shelling.

……

At the same time.

A group of Jurchen scout cavalry sweated profusely and arrived at a "tofu scum fortress" located in the depths of the Horqin grassland on the north bank of the Liao River.

When the first Pu Liyan entered the city, he did not dismount, but galloped straight to the government office in the city.

There was a lot of movement on horseback, and suddenly many Jurchen men leaned out from the tents and houses on both sides of the street to watch.

This improvised fortress is full of tents and houses where the Jurchen soldiers will live!

The 45,000 Jurchen elite soldiers led by Wanyan Zonghan and Yinshuke were quietly hidden here at this time. Waiting for the order or opportunity to strike......

"Report to stay behind, the army of Tyranny Zhou has moved! Tens of thousands of riders have crossed the Huang River and are heading to Linhuang Mansion! ”

"Really?"

"Here's ...... opportunity"

Zong Han and Yinshuke glanced at each other, and their breathing became short.

These tens of thousands of troops of the Zhou State have always been stationed in Dadingfu, and once they go north, Dadingfu will be empty.

This is the opportunity!

Yinshu Ke said: "Stay behind, send troops immediately!" Fighting martial arts is a good ancient one by surprise! ”

"Good!" Wanyan Zonghan nodded and gritted his teeth, "Even if you can't beat the Dading Mansion, you have to wash all the surroundings of the Dading Mansion...... In this way, the Zhou army and Liao dog on the grassland had to retreat! ”

Seriously, Jin Guo's combat strategy is actually very clever! It is a double insurance, and the 140,000 elites led by Aguta are heavy. The 40,000 odd soldiers led by Wanyan Zonghan and Wanyan Yinshu are twofold.

Even if Ah Guda falls into a bitter battle on the grassland, as long as Zong Han and Yinshu can succeed, the situation on the grassland can be reversed immediately! At that time, the Dajin Kingdom will at least be able to get an undefeated state, and it will also be able to boost the morale of the Song Dynasty, if the Song Dynasty is willing to join the war. Then Dajin Kingdom has a chance!